Going into the 2022 season, the SNHU baseball team is not only looking to defend their title as NE10 champions, but also as NCAA Division II East Region champions. The team has gained some attention that suggests that they are the team to beat.
The NE10 Coaches Poll has the Penmen ranked first overall in the NE10. Adelphi is atop the poll in the southwest division, the team that SNHU defeated in last year’s NE10 championship game. Despite the similar rankings to last season, senior catcher Dakota Mulcay (’22) is taking every team seriously.
“Each team we face is a new challenge,” said Mulcay. He continued, “You never know which team has it that day and which [team] doesn’t. Our goal is to play every game to win.”
The Penmen are ranked as the seventh best Division II team in the country, according to NCBWA. With this high ranking, the team goal remains constant and Mulcay makes sure to spread this message as captain.
“The team’s ultimate goal, just like every year, is to win the final game of the year in Cary, North Carolina,” said Mulcay.
Cary, North Carolina is the site of the Division II championship, where SNHU has competed three times since 2012 (2012, 2018, 2021). Mulcay is optimistic that this team will return to Cary.
“The team this year has been awesome….The amount of work everyone has put in has been incredible. I think this group of guys is really close and we’re just putting the last pieces of the puzzle [together],” said Mulcay.
With great team success comes a great coach. Coach Scott Loiseau has proven year after year that despite New England not being an ideal location for baseball, teams can still find success. Mulcay explains what is expected from Loiseau.
“Coach’s expectations every year don’t change….He provides us with the right tools in order to compete each and every day. It’s our job to compete and work harder than the other teams,” said Mulcay.
“SNHU baseball, to me, has meant family,” said Mulcay. “Every time [we] put on that jersey, we represent something bigger than ourselves.”
To Mulcay, and to many other players, SNHU baseball is more than just a team, and that bond is what gives SNHU an edge over the competition.
